Page 12 of These Violent Delights

She saw Uncle Tank on the wall, directing fire on the enemy.Unfortunately, their weapons were too short-range to strike anything near the village.

Zelda's eyes narrowed.“Digger, what do we have that can reach those creatures?”

“I recommend catapults filled with small stones and nail launchers.If you supply the power, the castle will handle targeting.They should be able to reach over the village, but they could cause damage to the villagers as well.Anything that goes up, will go down.”

“We will target anything outside the village then.What about fire?Is there anything that would evaporate after striking the jellyfish?”She sent a mental command to the castle, telling it to pull the weapons out of storage.Somehow she understood where they had been kept.It only took a thought.

“It's been a dry season, my lady.I don't recommend fire.”

The catapults spooled up, magically filling with small stones like the world's biggest slingshot.The nail launchers were similar to crossbows, only much faster.

Zelda felt herself go distant and gripped the wall, all her energy directed toward the weapons and maintaining the castle's shield.There was no energy for strategy, only action.Vaguely, she realized what a problem that could be.If her uncle had taught her anything, it was that wars were won by cunning, but that was a problem for another day.

For tonight, it was enough to attack.

***

OZZY REDBONE SAT AROUNDthe campfire with his friends, passing around a flask of wine.It was late, but he wasn't ready to sleep.

He looked past the bonfire into the darkness.The herdsmen were on watch, and everyone was alert.If they were going to be attacked it would definitely be tonight.The Beast Queen would not want to see an alliance between the tribes and the powerful lady of the castle.

Quill gave Ozzy a knowing look and passed him the flask.“I bet you're looking forward to tomorrow.Lady Zelda is a beauty, isn't she?”He was fishing.

Ozzy smiled.“She is, isn't she?Seems to have a head on her shoulders, too.That was unexpected, given her sister.”

Quill snorted.“She was quick to offer you Lady Divine, wasn't she?No love lost there.”

“Who can blame her?But I'm not settling for anything less than the best for my tribe.”Anyone he married would have a huge influence on his tribe and family.He wasn't going to bring someone like Lady Divine in to divide them.

“That old goblin of hers is no slouch.I heard he used to command the castle guard,” an older goblin said.“Her uncle, I heard.He raised her after her mother died.”

Interesting.He doubted a goblin commander would have raised a fool.No wonder she hadn't fallen for flattery.

Ozzy smiled, remembering her skeptical face.He wanted a closer look at the lady.

There was a ruckus down in the pasture.A horn sounded, signaling an attack.They were on their feet in an instant.

It was the opportunity they had been waiting for.

Night raids were difficult.You couldn't see, sounds were amplified, and it was easy to descend into chaos, but Ozzy and his tribe had been through this before.

Ozzy let his tribesmen handle it while he and his friends made their way behind the enemy.It wasn't difficult.The enemy had gotten used to being on the offense.The two guards in the rear were barely paying attention.

Their mistake.

The noise of the battle covered the struggle.They captured one guard, but the other one put up a surprising amount of fight.During the tussle, he got a knee to the skull from an overzealous goblin, instantly subduing him.

The beastmaster was a little tougher, but he was surprised.As his animals dropped from crossbow bolts, he had a moment to realize the danger.He drew a knife and stabbed Ozzy.Ozzy knocked his hand away and delivered a backhand to the side of his neck, interrupting the flow of blood to the brain and dropping him like a rock.They secured him, and instantly the night was brighter.

They had a prisoner to interrogate.

***

ZELDA WOKE UP TO Apounding on her door.She felt like she had been run over by a battle ram.She had a vague memory of tottering back to her room and falling into bed, clothes and all.

“Get up, girl!You have a meeting in half an hour.”

“What meeting?”she muttered to herself, annoyed.She would have gone back to sleep, but her bed tilted sideways until she slid onto the rug.

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